Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

May 3-4, 2009
Being a Mom that Matters
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Proverbs 22:6 "Train children how to live right, and when they are old, they will not change" (NCV).

Friend To Friend

So much of who we are as women is rooted in the parent/child relationship. I believe that my role as a mother will greatly affect the kind of woman my daughter will become. I also believe that moms are the primary teachers in a child's life. Here are a few familiar and humorous truths taught by mothers:

Cleanliness: "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning!"

Religion: "You had better pray that will come out of the carpet." 

Logic: "Because I said so, that's why."

Planning: "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

The circle of life: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

Seriously, we live in a world that many times denies the importance of being a mom. I don't come to you as an expert. I simply want to be a successful mom.  Well, actually, my credentials are impressive.  I am the mother of two beautiful, brilliant children.  We adopted our son, Jered, and our daughter, Danna, when they were only days old so I had nothing to do with their beauty or brilliance, but I do want to be the mom they need and deserve.  The good news is that God wants the same thing.  Being a parent is a holy calling from God and God never calls us to do a job without providing the power and the plan to do that job successfully.  How can we be the moms that really matter?

Be a mom who loves God.

1 John 4:19 "We love, because God first loved us" (NCV).

We are incapable of loving our children like they were meant to be loved until we first love God!  Motherhood at its best demands a thriving partnership with God!  We cannot give unconditional love until we have experienced unconditional love!  And God is the only source of that kind of love!  We can do everything else right as a parent but if we don't begin with loving God - we will fail!

Be a mom who prays continually.

I Thessalonians 5:17 should every mother's commitment to her children. "Never stop praying" (ICB).  It is never too late to start praying and it is always too early to stop. 

Pray for God's plan -- not yours -- when praying for your children.   
Pray that you will see your child like God sees your child.   
Pray specifically for your child.  For example, I often pray Proverbs 3:5-6 for our son, "Lord, I pray that Jered would trust in you with all his heart and will lean not unto his own understanding.  I pray that in all his ways Jered will acknowledge you and that you will direct his paths."  And for our daughter, I pray 1 Peter 5:7, "Lord, I pray that Danna would cast all her care upon you, because you care for her." 
Prayer is an eternal gift we can give to our children, teaching them the importance of prayer and teaching them how to pray.  I recently heard the story of a mother who had invited several people to dinner.  At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?"  "I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied. "Just say what you hear Mommy say," she answered.  The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?" 

We began early to pray with our kids at bedtime. One night, out of the blue, our son, Jered, began to pray that his grandfather and his uncle would stop smoking.  Since both had smoked for many years and neither was trying to quit, I didn't expect much.  But our son did. Within the next year, both men suddenly quit smoking.  I was totally amazed, but Jered acted like it was no big deal.  When I questioned his response, he simply said, "Mom, you told me God answers prayer."  I am convinced that if we pray for our children and with our children, it will change their lives and ours and give us insight that we can gain no other way.

Be a mom who gives time.

Proverbs 22:6 "Train children how to live right, and when they are old, they will not change" (NCV).

It takes time to be a mom, to know and to train your children.  Every child comes with a set of characteristics already established by God. Our job is to identify those characteristics and then steer the child toward them. The original root word for "train" is the term for "the palate, the roof of the mouth, the gums". In the days of Solomon, a midwife would deliver the baby, dip her finger into the juice of crushed dates, reach into the mouth of the baby and massage the gums and palate to create a sense of taste and thirst.  She would then give the child to the mother so the baby could nurse.  Our job as mothers is to develop a thirst in our children for the right things.  And that takes time. 

There is a popular philosophy today that it doesn't matter the quantity of time that we spend with our kids as long as it is quality time.  It does matter!  Can a woman have it all - a home, a family, a career? I think she can.  I'm just not sure she can have them all at the same time.  There are seasons of life to which we must yield in order to be the mother God wants us to be.  Time spent with children is never wasted!  Every minute invested in your child is an eternal investment!  Give your children the best of your time -- not the leftovers.

·         Make weekly dates with your kids.

·         Pull them out of school occasionally for a fun day.

·         Have a meal together every day.

·         Be involved in the things they enjoy.

In other words, be available!  And just your physical presence is not enough. Our normal bedtime routine was to spend a few minutes with each child, talking about the day, praying together and then I would tuck them in for the night.  When our daughter, Danna, was six-years-old, Dan was out of town and I was behind in studying for an upcoming retreat.  I went in to Jered's room, completed the bedtime routine and he was asleep in minutes.  However, when I went into Danna's room, and tried to speed things up, Danna refused to talk.  When I asked her why, she cried out, "Mama, you're not here!"  Confused and a little irritated, I responded, "Yes, I am! I am right here!"  Her big brown eyes filled with tears as she drove the truth home, "But you're not really here on the inside."  Be a mom who gives your children time. 

Being a mom is the hardest job on earth and can bring out the best and the worst in you.  I know being a mom requires great sacrifice and limitless energy, but to invest your time and best efforts into a child, to watch that child grow and develop, is to be part of the creative majesty of life itself.  We're half the way there!  Tomorrow, we will explore four more ways to be a mom that matters.

Let's Pray
Lord, thank You for giving me children.  Help me to be the mom they deserve.  I commit to constantly pray for each child and invest the best part of my time and life in them.  Forgive me for allowing lesser things to take the place of my role as a mother and guide me to be a mom that really matters. 

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Are you growing in your life as a Christian?  How? 

Evaluate your schedule in light of the truth that the best part of your time goes to being a mom. 
What changes do you need to make in your schedule? 

What do you need to give up so you can spend more time with your children?

What specific needs are you praying for your children?  Make a list and pray through that list daily.

More From The Girlfriends
Whoooo!  This is a tough one! When we start looking at the minutes and hours of each day to see how much time we really spend being a mom, the authenticity of our role as a mom shines through.  We are in this together.  Gwen, Sharon and I are all mothers, with children at all stages of life.  Know that we are praying with you, walking with you and here if you need us! 

Need help in your role as a mom?  Check out Mary's book, Sandpaper People for ways to handle your tough child or any difficult relationship in your life.  Mary also has an online Bible Study, Light for the Journey you might be interested in.  The current topic is "How to Manage Your Emotions."  Visit Mary's online store for MP3 downloads and E-book Bible Studies, CDs and much more. 

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


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

[Judy Harder]

May 5, 2009
Being a Mom that Matters, Part 2
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Psalm 127:3 "Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him" (NLT).

Friend To Friend
So much of who we are as men and women is rooted in the parent/child relationship. I believe that my role as a mother will greatly affect the kind of woman my daughter will become. I also believe that moms are the primary teachers in a child's life. Yesterday, we identified three steps we can take to be the moms God wants us to be: 

Be a mom who loves God.   
Be a mom who prays continually.   
Be a mom who gives time.   
Be a mom who encourages. 

Today, let's talk about being a mom who encourages her children. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, we find the simple but life-changing directive, "So encourage each other and give each other strength" (NCV).  When we encourage our children, we deposit strength in them.  We need to be careful to keep their emotional deposits in balance.  Many kids are in emotional bankruptcy because constant withdrawals of criticism are made with few deposits of encouragement.  Our job is to study our kids and discover their strengths and weaknesses.  We need to understand that many times, their greatest weakness may very well become their greatest strengths.

As a child, I was very stubborn.  I know.  It is almost impossible to imagine - almost.  That stubbornness often got me into trouble, but it also made me the survivor of some very hard times.  We need to look for the good things in our children and draw them into the spotlight.  In other words, become their "encourager" and their "cheerleader."  Everyone needs a cheerleader.

When our son, Jered, was in second grade, one of the boys in his class was what I would describe as a "sandpaper person."  It almost seemed as if he worked very hard at being difficult and had succeeded.  None of the children in the class liked him.  One Monday morning, he came to school with both arms in a cast from wrist to shoulder.  The teacher explained that he would need a friend for the next six weeks, someone who could help him with homework, eat his lunch and go with him to the restroom.  Get the idea?  The classroom fell silent, no one meeting the teacher's eyes.  Finally, Jered said, "I'll do it."  After a few weeks, Jered begin to see this little boy in a different light. "You know, mom.  He's not that bad. He can play soccer and he is really good at math."  At the end of six weeks, the other children began warming up to this once ostracized boy and even volunteered to help him. However, the most amazing transformation was in the boy himself.  He had become sweeter and gentler.  He just needed a cheerleader.  Maybe that is all your child needs.  Be a cheerleader for your children.

5.  Be a mom who laughs.

Proverbs 17:22 "A happy heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit drains your strength" (NCV).

Moms, we need to lighten up, or my daughter says, "Chill, Mom!"  Kids are fun!  Find ways to bring joy and laughter into your home.  Jered is a big hunk of a football player, but occasionally, I have to remind him of the fact that I can still take him.  He will make some irritating comment, tease me or poke me in the ribs.  I warn him and then I see the gleam in his eye as he takes one more shot.  I then begin chasing him around the house.  Jered inevitably starts laughing so hard that, when I catch him, he is totally helpless.  It is quite a sight to see!  Moms are the thermostats of the home and need to keep the emotional setting on joy.  Children get most of their first impressions of God from their parents.  I want my kids to know that God is a God of joy and laughter.  Kids need a mom who laughs.

6.  Be a mom who hugs.

Luke 18:15 "One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch them and bless them" (NLT).

Children need moms who touch them in a loving way and demonstrate healthy physical affection.  The reality is that children not only need, but crave physical affection.  It is a God-given need that is meant to be met in God-given ways.  There is healing in a mother's touch.  Start early and never stop!  It is a terrible shock for kids to have the hugging stop just at the age when they need it the most.

One day, I grabbed our daughter, Danna, in a hug and kissed her cheek.  As I walked away, I looked back to see her wiping off that kiss.  She caught my hurt look and said, "Don't worry, Mom.  I'm just rubbing it in!"  I know.  She's good ... and has become an affectionate young woman.  Be a mom who hugs her kids!

7.  Be a mom who disciplines.

Proverbs 6:23 "The correction of discipline is the way to life" (NLT).

Kids want and need discipline -- whether they know it or not.  Knowing is our job as mothers. Discipline is a hedge of protection in the life of a child.  Part of our job as a parent is to tend that hedge, to keep it strong and in place.  If we are not careful, every day can dissolve into a never-ending battle for control.  As parents, we need to let go of what we can and hold our ground on what we can't.

Discipline principles:

1.      Be consistent

2.      Discipline from love ... not anger.

3.      Pick your battles carefully.

4.      Don't expect children to act like adults.

5.      Teach kids that there are consequences to choices.

6.      Realize that every child is different.

7.      Don't discipline until you have control of your emotions.  This last point is major.  We are the adults who should be able to control emotions.  If we don't, neither will our children. Proverbs 29:11 says, "Foolish people lose their tempers, but wise people control theirs" (NCV).

Pick your battles of discipline and wage them with emotions under control.  Whatever you do, don't put the light out in their eyes.  Kids need a mom who disciplines.

8.  Be a mom who forgives.

Colossians 3:13 13 Get along with each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord forgave you" (NCV).

We teach children how to forgive others by how we forgive them!  Forgiveness is part of every healthy relationship so when we practice forgiveness, we are modeling healthy relationships for them.  We also teach our children about God's forgiveness by how we forgive.  Be quick to forgive your child but be quicker to ask your child's forgiveness.  My children are very used to hearing me say, "I am so sorry!  I blew it.  Please forgive me."

One morning, I had to apologize to my daughter before she even got to school.  I got up tired and grouchy to find that Danna was not moving fast enough for me.  I didn't like the clothes she picked out to wear.  I didn't like what she was saying or doing or how she was saying and doing it.  I didn't like the fact that she kept her cool while I lost mine.  Therefore, I did what any mature parent would do.  I threw a tantrum and grounded her for it!  Yes, I have provided many opportunities for my children to practice forgiveness.  I pray that it has made them more forgiving of themselves and of others.  Be a mom who is quick to forgive!

Being a mom is the hardest job on earth!  It brings out the best and the worst in you!  I know that motherhood requires great sacrifice and limitless energy!  But to invest your time and best efforts into a child, to watch that child grow and develop, is to be part of the creative majesty of life itself!  Today, commit with me to seek God's power and plan to be a mom who really matters. 

Let's Pray
Father, more than ever before, I want to be a great mom!  However, I often find myself doing just the opposite of what I know is right when it comes to my kids.  Please forgive me.  Help me to apply the truths and principles of your Word as I walk in this high calling of motherhood. Bless my children, Lord, and help them to follow You all the days of their lives.  Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Review the principles from today's devotion as well as yesterday's.   
Choose one area in your role as a mom to focus on.   
What changes do you need to make?   
Today, celebrate your children.  Give them a call.  Prepare a special meal.  Write them a special note.   
Choose now to be a mom that matters.

More From The Girlfriends
A woman recently told me that it was too late to become a better mom because her children were grown and gone. While it is true that she cannot live those years again, it is just as true that she can make a new beginning from today.  Remember ... there is always someone in your life that needs your love and attention.

Need help? Check out Mary's book, Sandpaper People for ways to handle your tough child or any difficult relationship in your life.  Mary also has an online Bible Study, Light for the Journey you might be interested in.  The current topic is How to Manage Your Emotions.  Visit Mary's online store for MP3 downloads and E-book Bible Studies, CDs and special gift items, including a beautiful bookmark for that special mom in your life, What Kids Need Most in a Mom.

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


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

[Judy Harder]

May 6, 2009
A Mighty Warrior
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"I have no greater joy than to know 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, as a "wife of noble character" (NIV), "an excellent wife" (NASB) and "a capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman." (Amplified)  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 when they don't know how to pray for themselves. 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, you may feel at times that your burden for you child seems more than you can bear.  Peter tells us to "cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). He cares for your children, too.  No matter how much you love your children, God loves them more.

In my Bible, I keep a 4 x 6 laminated card with prayers for Steven that are 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)

·         Be protected from the evil one in each area of their lives: spiritual, emotional, and physical (John 17:15)

·         Have a responsible attitude in all their interpersonal relationships (Daniel 6:3)

·         Respect those in authority over them. (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 they marry). (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 they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to them. (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, thank You for the privilege of being a mom.  I agree with John who wrote, "I have no greater joy than to know 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
Perhaps you have certain concerns or desires for your child.  If so, find a good concordance and look up Scriptural promises to pray.

Consider joining with another mother and becoming prayer partners for your children.  You can use the list from this devotion as a springboard for praying Scripture over your children.

More From The Girlfriends
If you would like to order the laminated card that Sharon mentioned in today's devotion just click on www.sharonjaynes.com and go to the bottom of the books page. You will find more great parenting ideas in Sharon's book, Being a Great Mom-Raising Great Kids. 

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


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

[Judy Harder]

May 7, 2009
The Trumpet Game
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."  (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV)

Friend to Friend
My friend Brad has a little girl named Elizabeth. When Elizabeth was one year old, Brad and his wife taught her sign language. For the word please, they chose to have her rub her chest. So, as Brad and Jamie taught Elizabeth to say please, they rubbed their own chests and said "please." Simple enough.

Elizabeth had a favorite toy. It's a plastic knobby toy that holds colorful rings. You know the one with the yellow pole and white base that, without the rings, loosely resembles a trumpet. (C'mon, use your imagination!) So, being the fun, creative parents that Brad and Jamie are, they would dump off the rings and playfully hold up Elizabeth's toy and make a trumpet sound. Elizabeth loved her parent's silliness. She laughed and clapped with delight. It became a favorite game in their household.

One day, when Brad and Elizabeth were playing the trumpet game, Elizabeth excitedly grabbed the toy and handed it back to him to do it again. Brad encouraged her to say "please" and reinforced the instruction by rubbing his chest. To his surprise, Elizabeth made her way over to him and started to rub his chest instead of her own.

Did this please her daddy? You bet it did!

Even though Elizabeth mixed up the signals, she communicated with her daddy. Brad was filled with love and joy by her effort. He was pleased that she came to him. Not because she did or didn't do something right, but just because she is his daughter and he loves her. He adores her.

God adores you too. Just because you are His child. His sweet daughter. "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1a).

Have you considered that perhaps God isn't longing for you to come to Him with perfect, polished prayers that have fifty-cent words and flowery language? Have you thought about the pleasure God experiences when you simply approach him just as you are, warts and all, because He loves you? He delights in your attention. He takes pleasure when you go to Him simply because you are His.

I love how the psalmist responded to God's love:

Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits--

who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
(Psalm 103:1-5)

Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, Thanks for this reminder of Your love for me.  Thanks for seeing me as precious and special.  I'm amazed by Your love.  I'm overwhelmed with thankfulness that You made a way for me to know You through Jesus Christ.   Help me to come to You as I am each day...without pretenses, pride, or perfection, but simply with Your permission to just be me...because You love me.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn 

Read Zephaniah 3:17 again silently   
Now read it again aloud   
Now read it aloud three more times and insert your name after each 'you' --   
"The LORD your God is with you (insert name here), He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you (name), He will quiet you (name) with His love, He will rejoice over you (name) with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

More from the Girlfriends
When Brad shared this story with me, it melted my heart and blessed my soul.  I hope you were moved, too.  That's really what being a GiG is all about...sharing things that move us and spur us on toward our extravagant Lord!  Glad we are doing life together!  I'd love to hear what has moved you lately...email and let me know!

Today's devotion is an excerpt from Gwen's book, Broken Into Beautiful. To order the book, please CLICK HERE. 

Need some new tunes to listen to? Order a copy of Gwen's live worship CD, Unsearchable!

Into FaceBook? Check out Gwen's MUSIC PAGE on FaceBook - leave a message on her wall - share the page with your FB friends!

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


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

[Judy Harder]

May 8, 2009
A Beacon of Light
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
I have lived in North Carolina all my life and love its sandy beaches and irregular coast.  Dotting the ragged shoreline, stand seven stately beacons of light.  These majestic, sweeping lighthouse lanterns have flashed warnings and guided seafarers throughout the years.  They light the way at Bald Head Island, Ocracoke Island, Cape Lookout, Bodie Island, Currituck Beach, Oak Island, and Cape Hatteras.  Each of these sentinels serves as a guardian of the deep, flashing its warning in the night sky.  Their distinctive designs of black and white diamonds, stripes or checks tower skyward some 200 feet, serving as landmarks for navigation.  To the mariner, the lighthouse is a symbol of integrity, constancy, reliability and aid.

A mother is much like a stately lighthouse.  She has a solid foundation in Jesus Christ.  Her walls of faith are constructed to withstand the storms of life, and her primary function is to house the light of Christ.  This mother is an immovable constant in her child's life, a landmark along life's journey and a guiding light that points her children to the safe harbor of home and eventually out to sea.

If ever there was a mother who was a beacon, it was Monica, the mother of Augustine.  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 young Augustine 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 prize fighter.

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 life style 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, he 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.  Help me to be a shining beacon of prayer to those in my care.  Help me never to give up!

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?  Luke 18:1-8

More From The Girlfriends
Today's devotion was taken from Sharon's book, Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids.  If you would like to learn the seven principles of great mothering, then this is the book for you.  It is filled with inspiration and godly wisdom for incredible role. Motherhood -- one of the most difficult jobs we will ever love!

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


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

[Judy Harder]

May 11, 2009
In His Eyes
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Psalm 139:14-15 "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. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (NIV).

Friend to Friend
It was my first day of teaching second grade.  While standing at the classroom door, greeting parents and children, I felt a tug on my skirt. I looked down into the beautiful blue eyes of Sammy, one of my new students.  His mother, who was standing beside Sammy, looked at me and said, "I guess you've heard about Sammy.  Good luck!"  As she walked away, Sammy said, "She's right.  I'm dumb and mean and can't read or write." 

Lisa was a tall, blonde and beautiful young woman with zero self confidence.  Lisa was the family joke because she was always dropping things or falling on the stairs.  "Klutz" became her nickname at home and quickly caught on in the youth group and church where her father was the pastor.  Everyone thought she was clumsy, even Lisa.

A young wife and mother sobbed out her confession that she had just ended an affair, "He made me feel important and special." A talented singer and pianist, she vowed to never again sing or play because she was damaged goods. 

I often hear and see the same prison described by women living in the grip of failure and defeat for one reason or another.  I want to share some good news with you.  God can set you free to be all He created you to be.  A healthy self-image is not rooted in pride and it does not exalt self above others.  In Romans 12:3, Paul clearly says, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."  Be realistic in your opinion of yourself.  Success comes when we learn to accept God's evaluation instead of our own, when we give Him permission to make us what He created to be and when we begin to understand who we are in His eyes.  How?  Let's look at six steps we can take to understand who we are in the eyes of God. 

Step one:  Check the label. 

I love a good sale, don't you?  In fact, a 75% off tag may very well be a sign from God. (I'm still trying to convince my husband.)  I have also learned that you can save money in the long run if you check the label.  Let me explain.  We needed a new sofa -- desperately.  It had to be a certain color and style and cost a certain amount.  I headed for the nearest furniture outlet, where I narrowed my selection down to two sofas.  Both were on sale and both would work in our home.  I saw the salesman coming.  Before he could say a word, I asked, "Which one of these sofas would you tell your wife to buy?"  The man immediately pointed to one of the sofas and said, "Definitely that one."  When I asked why he had chosen that particular sofa, he replied, "Check the label.  The one I chose was made by a company known for its quality work.  The other sofa is a cheap imitation

We can judge a product's potential and value by looking at the one who created it and God does not make cheap imitations of anything. You are valuable simply because you were created by the hand of God.  I am here to tell you that God is not mad at you!  His design of you and plan for your life is second to none.  He paid the highest price that could be paid -- for you.  To cower or crawl in inferiority is to say to God, "You made a mistake when you made me." God doesn't make mistakes, friend.  He never has to say, "Oops!"  We were created in His likeness and are valuable to God.  God knows my name and loves me.  I am His masterpiece and have been validated by God Himself. Wow!  That is quite a label, girlfriend!

Step two:  Embrace the plan.

While painting in the city park, an artist spotted a beggar sitting across the path from where he was working. Thinking of God's handiwork in every human being, the artist painted the man as he imagined he could be and then called the beggar to see the painting. "Is that me?' the beggar asked.  "That is the way I see you," replied the artist.  The beggar stared at the painting and with tears in his eyes he said, "If that's the man you see in me, then that's the man I will be!"  God created you in response to a unique plan He has for your life.  You can discover that plan by reading the Bible, God's instruction manual for your life.  The Bible is powerful and will allow us to understand who we are in God's eyes - when we consistently read, memorize and apply it in our daily life. 

Tomorrow, we will look at four more steps we can take to understand who we are in Christ as we learn to recognize our value in His eyes.  Don't miss it!

Let's Pray
Father, thank You for life and the special plan You have for me.  Honestly, it is hard for me to understand and really believe that I am special to You.  To think that You know me and love me just as I am really rocks my world, but I do want to see myself through Your eyes -- no more and no less. Please help me. 

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read the verses of Scripture and answer the questions listed below.

Ephesians 2:10  "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

How does this verse of Scripture emphasize the fact that you and I were created in response to God's plan, not as an afterthought or as an accident? 
Psalm 8:3-5 "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor."


How do these verses line up with the way you see yourself right now?  What one immediate change do you need to make in order to see yourself the way God sees you?   
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." 

Are you living a life plan that gives you hope and a future?  Is it the right plan? 
Read and memorize Isaiah 43:4 and make it one of your life verses. "You are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you." 

More From The Girlfriends
I have struggled with my identity and value for a big part of my life.  Fear of failure once kept me from dreaming new dreams.  No more!  My dreams seem to get bigger with every year of life that passes and I really believe it is because my new perspective of who I am is more accurate than it has ever been.  I am a daughter of the King.  I belong to God and He loves me!  No one can take my place in the Father's heart and I am indispensable to no one but Him.  That is my prayer for you, girlfriend, that you will know and live out the truth that in God's eyes, you are special. 

Need help?  Visit Mary's online store for great prices on books, CDs, MP3s and E-Book Bible Studies. Light for the Journey is Mary's weekly online Bible Study that offers applicable principles and truths from God's Word.  Check it out!

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


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

[Judy Harder]

May 12, 2009
In His Eyes, Part 2
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Psalm 139:14-15 "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. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" (NIV).

Friend to Friend
God can set you free to be all He created you to be.  A healthy self-image is not rooted in pride and it does not exalt self above others.  In Romans 12:3, Paul clearly says, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." Success comes when we learn to accept God's evaluation instead of our own, when we give Him permission to make us what He created to be and when we begin to understand who we are in His eyes.  How?  Let's look at six steps we can take to understand who we are in the eyes of God. 

Step one:  Check the label.

Step two:  Embrace the plan.

Step three:  Be yourself.

We should always be looking for something new to learn, an area where we can grow and changes that need to be made.  Sit down with your mate or close friend and ask for a realistic evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses.  Constantly search for gifts and abilities and then take one of those abilities and work on it.  Don't be afraid of change.  It is a sign of life and of growth.  Change what needs to be changed, accept what you cannot change and quit whining about it!  I know so many women who wasting so much life trying to be something they were never created to be -- kind of like a hand trying to be a toe.  We need to stop questioning God's design and kicking against the plan.  An old man from the mountains of North Carolina, who was known for his extraordinary wooden carvings of dogs, was once asked, "How do you take a block of wood and create such beauty?" The old mountain man replied, "Well, I just take my knife and carve away everything that doesn't look like a dog." Learning to see your self through the eyes of God is like "carving away" everything that is not part of the original design -- God's plan -- and then learning how to accept what remains.

Step four:  Guard your mind.

Scripture is very clear on the point that the mind is the main battlefield in spiritual warfare and is especially important in the battle of discovering who we are in Christ. 

Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinks within himself, so he is."

Colossians 3:2 "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

We are bombarded on all sides by the media, family and friends, co-workers and even enemies.  They all have a certain identity that they want to assign to us. We have a choice.  No one makes us feel inferior without our permission.  We will become what we allow our heart and mind to dwell on.  An old saying says it well.  "You can't keep a bird from flying over your head but you can keep it from building a nest in your hair." In other words, it is impossible to avoid destructive thinking entirely.  We will be tempted.  We will have negative thoughts and temptations, but we do not have to allow them to dwell in our mind.  God has given us a "garbage disposal" for the mind.

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

We once lived in Miami, Florida, a place where ships come from all over world. However, before a ship is allowed to dock, an inspection team goes aboard with one assignment.  Find every bit of contamination on board that ship. If contamination of any kind is found, the ship must be quarantined until it is cleaned up and inspected again.  Then, and only then, is that ship allowed to dock.  We need to control our thought life in the same way. 

Step five: Control your tongue.

Our words either build up or tear down.  Scripture tells us not to curse others because they are made in the image of God.  So are we. We need to apply this truth to our own life.  As a mom, I constantly warn our children about the danger of critical words.  I want them to learn how to encourage others with their words as well as have a healthy picture of who they are.  One day, while standing in front my bathroom mirror, I began talking to myself about something stupid that I had done.  I didn't notice that our son, Jered, was quietly standing in our bedroom door where he could hear every word I said.  "Mom, who are you talking to?" he asked.  Oops!  I sheepishly replied, "I was talking to myself."  He thought for a moment and then offered a convicting observation, "Boy, if I talked like that, I'd be in big trouble!" I was immediately reminded of the words in Psalm 141:3.  "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." 

In our own lives, we need to stop putting ourselves down and in the lives of others, we need to encourage and look for reasons to praise God.  We must learn to celebrate the good in each other.  Words are like seeds.  What we plant will grow.  If we sow destructive, critical words, we will reap a life that is negative and critical but if we sow words of truth, we will reap a life of peace and purpose, knowing who we are in His eyes.

"Dear Father, help me to bridle my tongue, so that on judgment day, I will not be found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon!"

Step six:  Be Patient

Weeds spring up overnight but it takes years for a mighty oak to grow. Today, you can take the first step toward gaining a new perspective of who you are in Christ.  Our Father says it this way in Philippians 1:6, "And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns."

Let's Pray
Lord, I want to know You more and learn to see myself as You see me.  Please help me recognize and guard against anything or anyone who would chip away at Your truth working in my life.  I believe You love me and cherish me as Your daughter.  Help me to walk in that value and worth and then lead others to do the same.  I praise You for validating my very existence as part of Your heart's plan.  I love You, Father.  I pray all of these things in Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Here is your assignment for the week.  Read Psalm 139 at least one time every day.  In your journal, write each verse in your own words.  At the end of the week, set aside time to celebrate who you are in Christ.  Have a praise party -- just you and God -- or invite a few friends to join you in celebrating your identity in Him. 

More From The Girlfriends
We pray that these devotions have helped you catch a new glimpse of just how precious you are to God! If you were never wanted or planned by human heart and mind, rest assured that you were wanted and planned by God Himself.  He is with you and for you, girlfriend.  He believes in you and has a plan that will prosper you and give you hope.  Turn to Him.  Trust Him.  You are special in His eyes. 

Looking for a Bible Study that is both practical and powerful?  Check out Mary's E-Book Bible Studies:  Strength for the Storm, Anger Management 911, God's Answer to Stress and Getting a Grip on Fear.  Each one includes a study guide and you can download each study for your personal use or for a small group study.  Check them out!

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


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

[Judy Harder]

May 13, 2009
Lessons from the Bamboo Farmer
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap a harvest if we do not grow weary" (Galatians 6:9 NASB).

Friend To Friend
For years, I told people that I was in labor for 23 hours.  However, the truth is more like 23 years.  Being a mother has been the most fulfilling, frustrating, exciting, exhausting, mind-boggling, hair-raising thrilling tiring, stimulating, soul-stirring, delightful, difficult, consuming, laborious, uplifting, inspiring, challenging, captivating, and rewarding job I've ever had.  Did I mention difficult?  I should have gotten a clue when I was told that having a child begins with a word called "labor."

I've had times when I felt like throwing up my hands in frustrations and saying, "I quit!"  Is what I'm doing making any difference to anyone?  I want result!  Show me results!  Then I think about the bamboo tree.

When the Chinese plant bamboo, first they plant the seeds, then water, and fertilize them.  The first year, nothing happens.  The second year they continue to water and fertilize the seeds, and still nothing happens.  The farmer continues this process for a third and fourth year with no visual results.  Then sometime during the fifth year, in a period of approximately six weeks, the Chinese bamboo grows ninety feet.

Did the bamboo grow ninety feet in six weeks or did it grow ninety feet in five years?  The obvious answer is that it grew ninety feet in five years.  If the grower hadn't applied water and fertilizer every year, there would be no bamboo.

It is the same way with raising children.  We pour into their lives.  We plant seeds of character, pull weeds with discipline, water with prayer, and fertilize with encouraging words. Then one day, if we are persistent and consistent, we will see beautiful results. 

If you are in the midst of raising your children, or even a parent of grown children waiting to see the results, I want to encourage you to press on.  Don't give up!  Keep praying!  Keep encouraging!  Keep loving! And one day, when you least expect it, your child will one day "rise up and call you blessed."

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, sometimes I get really tired and frustrated as a mom.  When I grow discouraged, will You help me to keep the goal before me...to raise a child who is a man or woman after God's own heart?  Help me to remember that You, as my heavenly parent, never give up on me.  Even when You don't see the results that You desire, You continue to love, nurture and teach me.  Thank You for being my example of persistent and consistent love.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Make a list of character traits that you long to see in your child.

What seeds are you planting in his or her heart to produce such a crop?

Make a list of glimpses of good fruit that you see budding in your child this week.

More From The Girlfriends
Being a mom is the most difficult and rewarding job in life!  If you would like more encouragement in this important calling from God, see Sharon's book, Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids! 

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


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

[Judy Harder]

May 14, 2009
Measuring Up
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." (Proverbs 31:30)

Friend to Friend
My girlfriend Denise is a knockout. She's got the whole beauty package going on. She's tall, slender, athletic, bright, and funny. To know her is to love her. But she is so pretty that if you didn't know her, you might love to hate her. Kind of like the supermodels.

Denise is a former model and gymnast who lived much of her life in the shadow of perfection's impossible measuring stick. She grew up in a small town just outside of Cleveland, Ohio, and made a decision for Christ as a child. Though she was a believer, Denise still struggled with common issues of measuring up.

"It was very important to me to be well-liked and to be very successful in every aspect of my life," she said. "My family strived to be the ideal, all-American family. I worked hard to have great grades, be a great athlete, and wear the right clothes; to overachieve. As a model and gymnast, body type and strength were very important to winning, as well as to my identity."

By nature, Denise is competitive. Most would refer to her personality as type-A. A go-getter. A perfectionist. She's the kind of girl you want on your team: determined, focused, and disciplined. Her quest to be the best, however, left Denise feeling helpless and unsuccessful. Even though she was a fierce competitor as a gymnast, she never felt she was good enough. For years, Denise tried to control the circumstances and the people in her life in an attempt to make things perfect. Eventually, her pursuit of perfection got Denise into a heap of trouble. As Edwin Bliss has said, "The pursuit of excellence is gratifying and healthy. The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic, and a terrible waste of time" (Tim Hansel, Eating Problems for Breakfast, (Word Publishing, 1988) page 39).

As a high school gymnast, Denise dealt with the pressures to measure up in a destructive way. She became bulimic. She wanted to be in control of her body and manage her weight but she became enslaved to an addictive and damaging behavior. She was a Christian girl who knew that God loved her. She had been told that she was beautiful to Him, but for a season of her life, Denise didn't consider that enough. At first, to her delight, Denise's bulimia resulted in weight loss. Keeping extra weight off allowed her to be competitive in the gym and to look good. She wasn't alone. Most of her teammates had eating disorders too.

"What I thought was just a phase became my way of life," Denise remembers.

Her destructive behavior followed her to college. Denise thought she was in control of the bulimia, but eventually realized that bulimia was in control of her. It consumed her thoughts. It swung the gates of deception wide open for the enemy to stroll right through. He laughed all the way, because he had her right where he wanted her.

Negative self-talk filled her head. A thought as simple as, "I'm a little bit nervous about teaching this fitness class," would snowball into, "You are so fat. You should never have eaten all that food this afternoon. You're such an idiot! You won't even be able to get through this class." The voice in her head constantly told her she didn't measure up.

"If I heard ninety nine positive comments about myself and one negative comment, I couldn't let the one negative comment go," she said. "I illuminated my failures and shortcomings instead of celebrating my successes."

During that time, she constantly talked about her body...about how awful it was. Denise says it was as if a ticker tape was filling her mind with a steady stream of negative thoughts and beating her down.

She prayed, "Lord, help me find a way to cut that ticker tape. I need a reprieve." God eventually did cut it with truth, but it took a while for Denise to learn to recognize Satan's lies for what they were.

The Lord placed many Christian friends in Denise's path who encouraged her to see a counselor. She went, though she still wanted her way more than God's way. The counselor told her that she must want to be healed of her eating disorder. She needed motivation to change. Denise lacked the motivation until she went home for fall break and finally hit rock bottom.

A Time for Change
Denise was consumed with being fit. Each day of break was another opportunity to strive for physical perfection, and she trained hard. . She had been fasting for a few days--something she relished because of the dramatic physical results, not for the spiritual benefits the Bible speaks of--and then ate something. The ticker in her mind told her that she should feel terrible about eating, so Denise went upstairs and made herself throw up. Her body had grown so weak that she fell to the floor before making it to her bed.

Her brother found her on the floor crying and completely out of it.

Denise's brother, who suffers from a mild form of cerebral palsy and has struggled to overcome the challenges of his disability, was alarmed and angry. Once Denise was able to get up from the floor, her brother confronted her with strong words that became a catalyst of change in her life.

"I have worked all my life to overcome my physical deformity," he said. "And here you are intentionally destroying yourself."

It was true and she knew it.

In that moment, Denise felt the weight of truth, and finally crumbled. Her previous casual attempts to allow God to intervene were now replaced with sincere cries for help. She needed to change and she needed God's help for the change to happen. She needed Him to consume her thoughts and transform her mind. She needed Him desperately.

Denise had known the truth from the beginning. She just resisted it. She knew that bulimia was destructive, but the pressures of the world had a greater hold on her.

When she turned to Jesus for help, He began to transform her from the inside out. As a child, Denise gave her heart to Jesus. As an adult, she surrendered her life to Him. There's a big difference. In the surrendering, Denise found healing for the bulimia and emotional freedom from the need to measure up to the world's standard of perfection.

Her healing took time. It progressed slowly. God used His Word, Christian counseling, and friends to replace lies with His truth. Denise has experienced full healing through the strength of the Lord and now regularly shares her story with women and young girls.

Healing begins when we hold tightly to the truth of God and allow the truth of God to hold tightly to us. God gives each of us the freedom to accept or reject His way. When we lean into His truth, we are less likely to conform to the world. His truth, His Word can be the light for each step we take. It illuminates the path that leads to His heart. God's Word transforms. The apostle Paul said, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2a).

We live in a competitive world. The pressures to be thin, beautiful, fit, smart, sexy, funny, rich, and popular trap us in a relentless vise-grip. Denise's story isn't much different from yours or mine. You don't need to be a model or a gymnast to get trapped in a disorder or an addictive lifestyle. You could be a college student, a businesswoman, a nurse, a mom, a dance instructor, a retail clerk, or a Sunday school teacher. No one is exempt. Feelings of inadequacy and inferiority ravage hearts of Christians and non-Christians alike.

Our attempts to measure up are all-consuming traps. They focus our attention inward verses upward, just as they did with Denise. When we get caught in the trap of striving to measure up, we focus on ourselves. That was never God's plan. We were designed to focus on Him. Shifting our attention from ourselves to God will change our perspective. God longs for our obsession to be Him.

"I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols" (Isaiah 42:.

Let's Pray
Dear God, please renew and transform me from the inside out! When feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and self-doubt creep into my heart, help me to see myself the way you do. I want to be held tightly by your truth.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
There's a line in the song "Broken into Beautiful" that says: "We live with accusations, sometimes heavy expectations that tell us we can never measure up" (Featured on Unsearchable, and also on the Because CD by Gwen Smith (www.GwenSmith.net) © Sunday Best Music/ (ASCAP) Newspring, a division of Zomba Enterprises, Inc. (ASCAP)/ CCTB Music (ASCAP). All right OBO CCTB. Music administered by New Spring. Used by permission).

The paradox of that statement is that we can measure up and we can't. Read and meditate on the following verses:

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ." Romans 3:22-24

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion is an excerpt from Gwen's book, Broken Into Beautiful. God delights to transform lives...including your own.  In her book, Broken Into Beautiful, Gwen Smith invites you to experience how the unconditional love of Jesus can change your life, then stand back, and watch the wonder of grace at work.  He is willing to eternally forgive and forget and to transform your life into something beautiful.

Into FaceBook? Check out Gwen's MUSIC PAGE on FaceBook - leave a message on her wall - share the page with your FB friends!

Gwen Smith is a worship artist, songwriter, speaker, and author. For more information, visit her website at: www.gwensmith.net.

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


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

[Judy Harder]

May 15, 2009
Writing God's Law on our Hearts
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people" (Hebrews 8:10 NIV).

Friend To Friend
I used to walk around the neighborhood and see signs that read, "Dog contained by invisible fence."  Actually, I thought it was a joke, but after we got a dog, I learned about this incredible invention, and decided to have one installed.

The fence company dug a narrow four foot deep trench around the perimeter of our yard and buried a small wire.  This wire was attached to a control box mounted on our garage wall.  Ginger, our golden retriever, was then fitted with a collar sporting a special little box with two small prongs that rested against her skin.  The dog trainer then placed white flags all around the yard, marking where the underground fence was buried.  As Ginger neared the flags, she heard a quiet warning sound clicking from the box.  If she kept going and crossed over the boundary marked by the flag, she got a shock and came back.

Now before you get upset about Ginger getting a little shock, I have to tell you, I let the trainer shock me first.  It wasn't painful, but I did not want him to do it again.  For twelve years, Ginger crossed over the invisible boundary only twice.  Once when the fence wasn't working properly and once during her sixth week of motherhood to escape her seven nursing puppies.

After the first month of training, you didn't see any white flags decorating the perimeter of our yard. So, you might wonder, how does Ginger know where the boundary is? It is simple.  For the first week, white flags lined the boundary of our yard. On the second week, I removed every other flag.  On the third week, I again removed every other remaining flag.  And I continued removing flags, until eventually, they were gone.  The flags were gone, but Ginger remembered where the boundaries were.  She also learned that the warning clicking sound was her friend and kept her from getting into a "shocking" situation.

Those flags are a great picture of the boundaries we set for our children. When they're young, we mark out clear boundaries, and as the child matures into adolescence, we begin pulling up those flags just a little at a time.  As they graduate from high school and move into college, most of the flags are gone, and we pray with all our might that they will remember where those boundaries are.

Just like when Ginger heard the warning sound, I believe the Holy Spirit taps on our children's hearts, and warns them not to cross the boundaries set by their parents.  Sometimes they will proceed to cross the boundaries anyway.  That's when the shock comes in.  It might be in the form of discipline and it might be in the form of living with some very unpleasant consequences.

In the Old Testament, God wrote the Law (the Ten Commandments) on tablets of stone, but in the New Testament, He wrote the Law of Love on our hearts.  Isn't that our prayer?  Yes, we have to spell out the boundaries for our children and point them in the right direction when they are young.  But as they move into adulthood, we pray the boundaries will be written on their hearts.

Consider the boundaries listed below:

Be careful what you see. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness"(Matthew 6:22, 23 NIV).

Be careful what you love. "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money"(Mathew 6:24 NIV).  "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 5:23 NIV).

Be careful who you listen to. "My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body" (Proverbs 5:20-22 NIV).

Be careful what you say. "Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips" (Proverbs 5:24 NIV).

Be careful where you go. "Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil" (Proverbs 5:26, 27 NIV).

Be careful whom you choose for close friends. Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV).

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, thank You that You set up boundaries for us in Your Word.  Just as we set up boundaries for our children for their protection, You set up boundaries for us, Your children, for our protection.  Lord, we pray for our children.  We pray that they will not forget the boundaries from Your Word that we have laid out for them.  We pray that as they leave the nest and fly off to places beyond the safe boundaries of home, they will remember the teachings they have heard.  Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who is always with us to prompt us, convict us, warn us, and empower us to turn from situations that would take us from the safe boundaries You have marked out for us.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Write down some of the boundaries you have marked out for your children.   
Write down some of the boundaries that God has marked out for you, His child.   
How do you feel when your children walk beyond those boundaries?   
How do you think God feels when you walk beyond His?   
Are there some boundary markers in your children's lives or in your own life that need fresh coat of paint?

More from the Girlfriends
Being a mother is the hardest job we will ever love.  For a very brief moment in time, we have the privilege of shaping and molding an eternal soul.  How will we invest the time?  To learn more about this incredible job called motherhood and seven qualities of a great mom, see Sharon's book, Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids! 

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Girlfriends in God
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